One of the biggest stars of the Euroleague is hoping for a union with the NBA

Mike James, one of the great figures of European basketball, spoke about the NBA Europe project and made his position clear. The American player is not against the arrival of the NBA in the continent, but believes it should not create an independent competition.

"I would like them not to create a different league, but to somehow partner with the existing league. Because there are very good things there," explained James.

The NBA Europe project is moving forward strongly. The league has received offers between $500 million and over $1 billion for its future franchises. The NBA claims it would be the largest investment in the history of European basketball.

However, James believes the EuroLeague already has a strong foundation. "The EuroLeague currently offers a very good product, although it needs improvements," he stated.

The guard believes that the NBA could assist in areas such as marketing, merchandising, television rights, and revenue generation. But he warns that a new league could lose a key element: the historical connection between fans and their clubs.

"Fans grow with those teams their whole life and love them. If the major clubs are not part of the project, fans will continue to support the teams they have loved since childhood," he pointed out.

For James, the best option would be a collaboration between both sides. "A new league would be interesting, but it wouldn't have the passionate fans that exist now," he concluded.